Same song, second verse. Gearing up for Utah 3

So, here's the deal.  Decided to squeeze in one more short hike in Sam Houston National Forest. It was close by and I hadn't been there in a while, or may be never.  So we headed out early before the heat set in and it was actually pleasant.  Got in 5 miles as we wanted to break in some new gear. It was lush and green and we didn't, I repeat, didn't get carried away by Texas mosquitoes!

This trail, Stubblefield, which is part of the Lone Star Trail, was marked "moderate" and there were only a few areas that would qualify as such.  A couple of low creek/stream crossings with logs and a little climb back up.  There were easy footholds on tree roots that prevented sliding, so no big issues here.  However, the "map," and I use that term loosely, provided by the park office, did not have trails marked very well, which they told us in advance.  Personally, I like to be spontaneous, but I certainly want to know where I am going so I will know how to eventually get back where I want to be. Just sayin'.  But I will say there were plenty of trail markers.

A small part of the trail paralleled Lake Conroe with nice views of the water. So all in all a decent day hike in this area.

This is the "moderate" crossing.

At first glance this looked like a cow head.  

This marker denotes a sharp right turn on the trail and there are plenty of markers.

A nice sturdy bridge.

A trail view of Lake Conroe.

Beautiful foliage along the trail.

Gearing up for Utah, Part 2

As we prepare for a trip to Utah to hike the mighty 5 national parks we thought, heck, we better dust off the hiking boots and hit the road.  Again, gym rats that we are, do not quite prepare us for our hiking adventures.  But it sure helps.

So here is a lovely day in Brazos Bend State Park putting in about 10 miles with the water hyacinth, a multitude of birds and even some gators along the way.  There are some canopy trails and some full sun trails.  And once again, several trails were temporarily closed due to prior rains and flooding that hit this area west of Houston really hard in the spring of 2016.  Glad to see the parks open and ready for us to take in the scenery.

This dude (or dudette) looked intimidating!

The water hyacinth was beautiful but we know all too well how aggressive and fast growing it can be. 

Perfect 80's kind of day to view this area from the viewing platform.

Beautiful, but personally I was looking for gators the entire time.

Gearing up for Utah

Traveled west of Houston to get our hiking legs working. Gym workouts are just not the same. With an upcoming Utah Mighty 5 Hiking Adventure approaching, the need to enjoy the great outdoors (especially while we are experiencing low temps and humidity) was on my brain.

The hiking trails in Stephen F Austin State Park are quite pedestrian. Many trails were closed along the Brazos River due to recent rains but there were still plenty of trails to enjoy. Some trails were designated "moderate" but that may be to make people who do not hike often aware of terrain changes.

We hiked right beside a golf course and around a campground, but few people were out and that suited us just fine for a Thursday in this area. There are plenty of restroom facilities and picnic tables and even benches along the trails. So this is a very family friendly fun area to spend the day. A nice day hike park.

Lovely wooded canopy trail.

Entrance to Stephen F Austin State Park

Beware of trail closures after a rainfall.

The Brazos River typically has this color due to soil in this area.

Nice bridges over most creeks and streams.